The word 'sphinx' entered English via Latin from the Greek 'sphinx', which likely derived from the verb 'sphingein', meaning 'to bind' or 'to squeeze'. This etymology is thought to be a reference to the mythological creature's habit of strangling or 'binding' its victims. The name thus captures the monster's defining, lethal action. The iconic Egyptian statue was given this name by the ancient Greeks due to its resemblance to their own mythical creature, and this association has persisted into modern English.

The word 'sphinx' is a simplex loanword from Greek. It cannot be meaningfully segmented into smaller, independent morphemes within its current English spelling.